What to Eat During Period

It is common for you to feel bloated, irritable and tired during your period. People also frequently experience cravings for salty shacks like potato chips or comfort foods when they are experiencing PMS symptoms. While these foods may satisfy your cravings, they can often make your symptoms worse. To help avoid this downward spiral, learn about what to eat during period and what you'd better avoid.

What to Eat During Period

Know what to eat during period helps a lot in dealing with that annoying discomfort.

Complex Carbohydrates. The natural sugars in fruit can help you avoid sugar cravings while providing you with a healthy stream of energy. Make a point of getting a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet including artichokes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, oranges, apricots, pears and plums.

Calcium-rich Foods. Women should be getting at least 1200mg of calcium every day, and the days during your period are no exception. Foods like broccoli, collard greens, kale or yogurt can help you get plenty of calcium without the added fat that usually accompanies dairy products.

Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate is considered to be chocolate that has 60 percent or more cacao bean content. Indulging in dark chocolate helps to quell cravings for sweets while boosting your intake of antioxidants. This can increase serotonin levels to help limit moodiness that is often associated with the menstrual cycle.

Magnesium-rich Foods. Foods that have plenty of magnesium can help limit bloating. Tofu, peanuts and beans have plenty of magnesium.

Vitamins. Getting plenty of vitamins can help you restore items you may be losing during your period. Consuming foods like hemp seeds, avocado or egg yolk will increase your intake of vitamin E to help minimize PMS symptoms. Consuming citrus fruits will help to increase your vitamin C levels. Combine this with doses of zinc from squash and pumpkin seeds to support the health of your eggs. Vitamin B6 from bananas, potatoes and oatmeal can help to improve moodiness and relieve bloating.

Proteins. During your period you will often feel tired and at a loss for energy. Protein will give you a long-lasting energy source that can keep you going all day. Lean proteins such as milk or poultry can help you increase your protein levels without adding a lot of extra fat to your diet.

Iron. Because you are losing blood throughout your period you are also losing a great deal of iron. Consuming moderate doses of beans, dates and meats can help to keep your iron levels where they should be.

What to Avoid During Period

Now that you have known what to eat during period, you should understand what to avoid to ease your PMS symptoms.

Caffeine. Consuming caffeine will increase your estrogen levels which can in turn increase PMS symptoms. Avoid beverages like cola, tea or coffee and cut down on chocolate to reduce these symptoms and mood swings.

Alcohol. Alcohol can cause depression before your period starts, so it should be avoided to minimize symptoms.

Sugar. Consuming high amounts of sugar can cause extreme highs and lows of your blood sugar level. A drop in your sugar level can lead to sluggishness and laziness while a serious increase leads to mood swings. Cutting down on pastries, cakes or colas can help you avoid these symptoms.

Salt. Consuming a lot of salt will cause you to retain water. Cut down on packaged foods or fast food that contains a great deal of salt. While you may want to increase your intake of greens during your period, foods like fenugreek or spinach can contribute to your bloating so they should be avoided.

If you want to know more about what to eat and drink during period and what to avoid, check this video out: